1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to shopping cart display boards and, more particularly, to a shopping cart display board which may be removably attached to a shopping cart and used as a store directory and for displaying advertising.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Customers shopping in a large supermarket quite often experience difficulty in locating food and other items in the store due to the large number of aisles containing merchandise. As a result, a significant amount of time is wasted walking up and down aisles looking for desired items.
A store directory that may be attached to a shopping cart would allow customers to locate items by referring to the appropriate items and aisle locations listed on the directory. Such a directory could also be used for the purpose of alerting customers to special sales or to the locations of new items at the store. Preferably, the directory would allow the aisle locations to be changed as the items are moved from one aisle to another.
In addition, a display board attached to a shopping cart may be used for advertising purposes. As such, there is a need for a display board which may be used as a store directory and also for advertising purposes. In order that advertising may be properly displayed, the display board should have the capability of being removably attached to the front, rear and sides of a shopping cart.
Accordingly, there is a need for a display board which may be removably attached to a shopping cart and used as a store directory and for advertising purposes. The store directory should allow the aisle locations for the different items to be changed as the items are moved to different locations. Moreover, the display board should be capable of being attached to the front, rear, and sides of the shopping cart.
As far as prior art patents are concerned, the following is a brief discussion concerning known patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,116,942 discloses a sign secured to a wire fence. The sign, adapted for advertising purposes, comprises a single sheet folded in half so that one half is disposed on one side with a fence and the other half is disposed on the opposite side of the fence, with a middle, horizontally extending, fold line or crease disposed over the top wire of the fence. At the bottom portion of the sign, there are cutout portions extending through both panels of the sign for purposes of allowing a fastening element to extend through the panels and around the fence.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,687,589 discloses a rotating shopping guide supported on a push-cart handle.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,845,729 discloses a sign fastened to the swinging front end gate of a pushcart basket. The sign pops up into an open position when the basket or cart is not nested with other baskets or carts. The sign is in its down or retracted (closed) position when the basket is nested.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,864,189 discloses a holder for a shopper's shopping list which fastens to the handle of a shopping cart. The holder also includes advertising material.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,888,761 discloses a clipboard which fastens to the handle of a shopping cart. The apparatus is similar to the apparatus of the '189 patent, discussed above, but it also includes a pair of indentations along one edge, and it discloses clamping means secured adjacent to the indentations. The indentations define openings for a user's hands.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,895,243 discloses a sign holder having a pair of frames, and a sign is held between the frames.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,936,540 discloses what is referred to as an identification device for a television channel program. The device includes a background sheet and a front sheet disposed on the background sheet on which there are a plurality of openings or apertures. Within the openings or apertures, and secured to the background sheet, are signs, notes, pictures, etc., regarding programs that will be shown on the television channel for which the apparatus is advertising.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,543 discloses a shopping cart attachment which includes signs and an adding machine. The attachment fastens to the handle of a cart. Advertising space is included on the attachment. The attachment also includes a clipboard, an adding machine, and a store directory.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,570 discloses a display or advertising apparatus for the front end of a nestable shopping cart. The apparatus moves vertically upwardly and downwardly during nesting and use. The apparatus pops up for use, and it moves down for nesting when a second cart is contacted.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,747 discloses an advertising card for a shopping cart which includes integral tabs extending outwardly at the top and bottom of the card to fold over horizontal rods of the cart. The apparatus also uses adhesive fasteners to secure the card to the shopping cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,956,841 discloses a directory for a shopping cart. The directory comprises a single panel secured to a shopping cart. The purpose of the panel is to list or identify the various aisles or portions of the store in which various items may be located. The items are listed and the aisles are stated. The panel is secured to the wires of the shopping cart by particular fastening elements, and the claims in the patent are drawn specifically to the brackets or elements used to secure the panels to the shopping cart.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,034,539 discloses a shopping cart nestable with the pivoting rear wall and child seat of a shopping cart. The apparatus is pivotally secured to the rear wall with an attachment which extends between the rear wall and the inner wall of a child's seat of the shopping cart. This patent is the parent patent of the '318 patent discussed immediately below.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,318 discloses an attachment for a shopping cart which extends between the fixed, rear portion of the shopping cart and the foldable or movable wall portion of the "baby seat" found on most shopping carts. The attachment, in addition to providing a writing surface, may also include advertising material, directory, etc. When the baby seat portion of the shopping cart is folded, the attachment also folds.
German Patent No. 2,535,017 discloses a shopping cart or basket which has a base plate holding an advertising plackard. The base plate is on the bottom of the cart or basket. The base plate includes a recess portion in which the plackard may be disposed.